(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manually operable driver for posts (10) including a slide hammer means (11) and a removable anvil means (12). The present invention particularly relates to a post driver for U channel posts (10) with spaced holes (10d) along the length intermediate blunt ends (10g and 10h) for rigidly and removably mounting the anvil means. The driver is particularly adapted for use with highway sign posts.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has described many different types of manually operable post driving tools. Thus manually operable post drivers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 299,086 (Over); 2,067,890 (Collord); 2,086,213 (Collord); 2,098,146 (Hunt); 2,690,055 (Lundgren et al); 2,998,087 (Iddings) 3,143,817 (Paulson); 3,313,346 (Clevenger); 3,712,389 (Smoak); 3,735,822 (Deike); and 3,856,092 (Mann). U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,472 to Moraly describes a peg device which is driven into the ground using a removable stake which is replaced by a post.
The problem with such prior art driving tools is that the slide hammer means impacts on a point or other part of the post at or adjacent to the base of the post as it slides on the post or removable stake. Typical road signs use a blunt ended U shaped channel with no pointed or enlarged portion at the ground end for a slide hammer to strike. As a result, such posts have been driven by hammering on one blunt end opposite the end being driven into the ground. Since the U channel posts are about 6 to 12 feet long, the use of a mechanical hoist requiring at least two workmen is common. Once one of the workmen is lifted to the proper height the post is hammered into the ground with a sledge hammer or the like. This method is slow and expensive because of the labor and machinery required.